Ben passed through the door, which swung shut behind him. Ellie frowned and shifted Lottie to her other hip. “You might be right. Next time think before you speak, though.”
“There won’t be a next time. Besides, he was just as rude.” But regret coursed through her at the thought he’d never want to talk to her again. She didn’t meet men like Ben very often these days. He’d been handsome in a rugged, sexy way that immediately put her on alert. Had he really been interested in her? It seemed unlikely.
“You should have said yes. That young man had the guts to ask you out—”
“No, he didn’t. You did!”
Ellie humphed. “You’ll get what you deserve when you’re home alone on Saturday night.”
Caitlyn watched Ben through the plate glass window. As he made his way along the street outside of the restaurant, she thought her aunt might be right. Ben’s limp gave a slightly dangerous air to his already compelling looks. He was powerfully built and moved like a man who knew his mind. If only he hadn’t insulted her.
If only she hadn’t insulted him back.
Chapter Four
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“WHERE’S LUNCH?” MASON asked when Ben met up with him empty handed.
“Forget lunch. Let’s go fix that tractor.” He wanted to get out of here before he punched something and broke his fist, too.
“Not on an empty stomach.”
“Then let’s go somewhere else.” Ben kept going toward Mason’s truck.
“What happened in there?”
“Met a woman.”
“Really?” Mason brightened.
“She didn’t like my looks.”
“Oh.” After a moment Mason followed him to the truck. “Well, that’s her loss.”
“No, I think it’s mine actually.” He opened the door and climbed in the passenger side. Mason entered the truck and turned the key in the ignition. “She was beautiful. I probably shouldn’t have snapped at her.”
“Probably not.”
“She snapped first, though.”
“She got a name?”
“Caitlyn. Her aunt’s name is Ellie Donaldson.”
“Got it. I heard Caitlyn was working with her aunt this summer. She has a degree in business. The women were talking about her and how the bridal shop might be a little tame for her abilities.” Mason pulled out onto the main drag and drove a few blocks. “Let’s try DelMonaco’s. It’ll take longer but that’s okay. Did you meet her kid? It must be hard to be so young and on her own with a child.”
“Child?” He closed his eyes. The baby in Ellie’s arms. Of course she must have been Caitlyn’s child. “I guess I did. I just didn’t realized it was hers.” He replayed their conversation in his mind, stalling out on the part where she’d gone from pleasant to angry. Something he’d said must have triggered that. Did she think he’d called her desperate because she was a single mother?
“Would you hold that against her? That she has a kid?”
“No.” He was surprised to find it was true. “I wouldn’t mind that. Although, I think she might hold it against me.”
“Not sure I follow.”
“A mother would think twice about dating me.”
“Man, you’ve got to knock that chip right off your shoulder. You’re healthy, strong, smart. What’s a little limp?”
“You saw what happened this morning.”
“When you saved Aaron? You got there faster than I did.”
“I got lucky.” They arrived at DelMonaco’s in a matter of minutes. Ben sighed when it was time to get out of the truck again. His ankle was beginning to throb, but there was nothing for it but to keep going. He took hold of the door’s handle. “Caitlyn wanted nothing to do with me.” Which was a shame because she pushed all the right buttons for him.
“You sure about that?”
“She came right out and said it. That a woman would have to be desperate to want me.” He pushed open the door and got out.
“Seriously?” Mason got out too.
“Seriously.”
“Then she’s not worth a minute of your time.”
“OOPS—YOUR DAUGHTER is about to eat that sand!”
Caitlyn looked up from her phone in time to see Lottie lift a fistful of playground sand into her mouth. “Lottie, no!” Caitlyn shoved the phone in her pocket and scooped Lottie up, intercepting her hand before it reached its destination. She felt her cheeks heat as she faced the other mother, a petite brunette with straight dark, waist length hair pulled up into a high ponytail. “Thank you for warning me. I was just checking in about work.”
“No problem. Pamela loves to eat sand, too.” She pointed to a sturdy toddler playing near the slide. “I’m Mia, by the way. Mia Matheson. I think you were a couple of years ahead of me in school. Aren’t you Ellie Donaldson’s niece?”
“I am. I’m working with her at the bridal shop. My name’s Caitlyn.” Mia did look familiar, but they hadn’t run in the same crowd. Back in school Caitlyn had been eager to hang out with the older kids. She hadn’t paid much attention to the younger ones.